NEW YORK – Christie’s announced the sale of Photographs by Ansel Adams from a California Collection during Photographs Week this April in New York. With 122 lots, this single owner sale is the largest collection of Adam’s works in private hands, including all of his most-sought after images, often mural-sized. The sale is expected to realize $3 to $5 million.
This exceptional collection, amassed from 1969-1975, was chosen to decorate the walls California company. During that time, the company benefited from Adams’ active participation in the project.
Adams worked closely with the company Director, visited the building, and even advised on lighting, color schemes for walls, as well as the placement and spacing of the photographs. Adam’s entire career is captured in this collection, with many of his most iconic images reproduced mural-size. Among the oversize prints are Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite, 1944 (Estimate $250,000-350,000), Aspens, Northern New Mexico, 1958 (Estimate: $150,000-250,000), and Frozen Lake and Cliffs, Kaweah Gap, Sierra Nevada, California, 1932 (Estimate: $90,000-120,000). The sale also includes Adams’ earliest masterpiece and most enduringly popular images, Monolith, The Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California, 1927 (Estimate: $20,000-30,000). Each of his seven portfolios published from 1948 until 1970 are represented in the collection.
auction: April 11, 2008. Viewing: 20 Rockefeller Center – Friday April 4 10am-5pm, Saturday April 5 10am-5pm, Sunday April 6 1pm-5pm, Monday April 7 10am-5pm, Tuesday April 8 10am-5pm.
